Forensic Science Review Outline

Forensic Science Review Outline

Topic / Objective / Key Terms/Vocab
Ch. 1/19
I.  Forensic Science – Definition and Scope
II. ‘CSI Effect’
III.  History and Development
a.  People
b.  Crime Labs
IV.  Forensic and Crime Lab Services / Disciplines and roles
V.  Skills of a Forensic Scientist and determining admissibility / ·  Define forensic science and list major disciplines it encompasses.
·  Explain how television/media have effected and influenced public perceptions dealing with trials, academia, crimes, and police investigations.
·  Describe how major contributors helped to develop forensic science.
·  Describe major services of comprehensive crime laboratories and their disciplines.
·  Connect the importance and relevance of applying sound scientific analysis of recovered evidence to criminal investigations. / -  Forensic Science
-  CSI Effect
-  expert witness
-  Locard’s exchange principal
-  scientific method
-  admissibility
-  odontology
-  anthropology (physical)
-  entomology
-  toxicology
Ch 2/19
I.  Physical evidence
II.  Preserving and recording the crime scene
III.  Maintaining chain of custody
IV.  Standard/Reference Samples
V.  Revisit roles of forensic disciplines
VI.  Time of death / ·  Define physical evidence and describe collection methods.
·  Describe and create a timeline of events which depict the responsibilities of the first police officer who arrives at a crime scene.
·  Explain the steps taken to thoroughly record the crime scene.
·  Understand the concept of chain of custody.
·  estimate time of death given various conditions / -  physical evidence
-  rough/final sketches
-  chain of custody
-  standard/reference sample
-  autopsy
-  livor motis
-  algor mortis
rigor mortis
Topic / Objective / Key Terms/Vocab
Ch 3
I.  Common types of physical evidence
II.  Identification vs. Comparison
III.  Individual characteristics vs. class characteristics
IV.  Significance and value of physical evidence
V.  Forensic Databases / ·  Identify and describe three categories of physical evidence along with common types within each category.
·  Explain the difference between the identification and comparison of physical evidence
·  define; compare and contrast individual and class characteristics of physical evidence
o  explain the significance of assessing value of physical evidence / -  Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
-  Impressions
-  Identification
-  Comparison
-  Individual characteristics
-  class characteristics
Ch 4
I.  Properties of Matter
a.  temp
b.  states of matter
c.  weight/mass
d.  density
II.  Theory of Light
a.  refractive index
III.  Metric system
IV.  Anthropometry / ·  Define and distinguish the physical and chemical properties of matter
·  Compare and contrast between solids, liquids, and gases.
·  Define and distinguish between atoms and molecules; elements and compounds.
·  Understand how to use the basic units of the metric system
·  Describe the electromagnetic spectrum and basic behaviors of light.
·  analyze anthropometric measurements; evaluate the validity of this identification method. / -  chemical property
-  physical property
-  matter
-  Anthropometry
-  wavelength
-  frequency
-  density
-  physical state
-  sublimation
Topic / Objective / Key Terms/Vocab
Ch 4
I.  Glass Analysis
a.  composition
b.  comparing fragments
c.  fractures / ·  Define and understand the properties of density and refractive index and its connection to glass analysis.
·  Evaluate glass fractures to determine the direction of impact. / -  tempered glass
-  laminated glass
-  radial fractures
-  concentric fractures
Ch 15
I.  Fingerprint analysis
a.  history
b.  principles
c.  classification
d.  detecting and developing / ·  Explain the three principles of fingerprints.
·  Identify the common fingerprint patterns and characteristics. / -  minutiae (ridge characteristics)
-  ridge patterns
-  arch
-  loop
-  whorl
-  iodine fuming
Ch. 11
I.  Examination of hair
a.  morphology
b.  identification and comparison
c.  examination / ·  Identify and describe the three layers of the of hair
·  compare and contract differences between human and animal hair
·  describe hair features used in microscopic hair analysis / -  cuticle
-  cortex
-  medulla
o  medullary index
-  scale pattern
-  medulla patterns